The Power of Computational Thinking

The Power of Computational Thinking

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to explain computational thinking and its key components, including abstraction and decomposition.

Introduce the learning objectives of the lesson and explain why they are important.

What do you already know about computational thinking?

What is Computational Thinking?

Computational thinking involves breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts. It's a way of thinking about problems that draws on concepts from computer science.

Provide an overview of what computational thinking is and why it's important.

Abstraction

Abstraction involves filtering out unnecessary details and focusing on the most important aspects of a problem. It helps to simplify problems and make them more manageable.

Explain the concept of abstraction and why it's important in computational thinking. Provide examples of abstraction in real-world situations.

Decomposition

Decomposition involves breaking down a problem into smaller, more manageable parts. It helps to identify the key components of a problem and how they relate to each other.

Explain the concept of decomposition and why it's important in computational thinking. Provide examples of decomposition in real-world situations.

Examples of Computational Thinking

Computational thinking can be applied to a wide range of problems, such as planning a trip, designing a website, or solving a math problem. It's a flexible approach that can be used in many different contexts.

Provide examples of how computational thinking can be used in real-world situations, and encourage students to think about how they might apply computational thinking to their own lives.

Collaboration

Collaboration is an important part of computational thinking. It involves working with others to solve problems and share ideas. By working together, we can come up with more creative and effective solutions.

Explain the importance of collaboration in computational thinking, and encourage students to work together on problem-solving activities.

Problem-Solving Activity

Divide students into small groups and give them a problem to solve using computational thinking. Encourage them to use abstraction and decomposition to break down the problem into smaller parts, and to work together to come up with a solution.

Provide instructions for the problem-solving activity, and give students time to work on the problem together.

Conclusion

Computational thinking is a powerful approach to problem-solving that can be applied in many different contexts. By using abstraction and decomposition, we can break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts, and come up with creative and effective solutions.

Summarize the key points of the lesson, and encourage students to think about how they can apply computational thinking in their own lives.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.